Call for papers: Communication and Journalism in Electoral Contexts

Coordinated by: Bruno Araújo (UFMT/Ceis20) and João Figueira (UC/Ceis20)

 

 

The interest in how communication and journalism can shape electoral processes is not exactly new. Hundreds of observations and assessments have been made over the last couple decades about the complex relationships between media, politics, and society, some of which are classic and define the field of political communication. At first, scholars in communication and other domains of the social sciences focused more on the hegemony of traditional media, particularly regarding television and its role over the last half of the 20th century. For decades the media has been the predominant form of mediation during key moments of liberal democracy (such as elections), by producing and disseminating messages that influence the quality of public debate.

 

However, we have seen a recent increase in establishing the political sphere through communicational logics that go beyond traditional media. Across the world, electoral processes have become profoundly digitized, communicating through networks which are hyper-fragmented, polarizing, and promote new modes of politicization and depoliticization. A growing distrust in institutions, an increasing crisis of representation, and the rise of moral emotions regarding politics have led current political-electoral scenarios to be influenced by populist rhetoric; a form of communication which is divisive in nature and exploits fears through disinformation and often intolerance within the public sphere. In a context such as this, which affects the different spheres of social life and important aspects of elections, understanding the social and political role of communication and its multiple dimensions is a politically relevant and scientifically indispensable task for the social sciences, particularly for studies in communication sciences.

 

Thus, in the face of contemporary challenges regarding this relationship between communication and elections, the editors of this issue of Mediapolis (Bruno Araújo, from the Federal University of Mato Grosso, and João Figueira, from the University of Coimbra) welcome the submission of original articles for the dossier Communication and Journalism in Electoral Contexts. The dossier is focused on studies that address topics such as:

• The political communication of actors, parties, and movements in electoral processes, especially studies of a comparative nature.
• News coverage, agenda setting, and media framing during election periods.
• Case studies on strategic communication and political marketing in elections.
• Post-truth, disinformation, and polarization in electoral contexts.
• Data journalism, digitization, and fact-checking in political campaigns.
• Negative campaign, polarization, and depoliticization.
• Populist communication in legacy media and digital media.
• How polls/opinion surveys shape political attitudes and the challenges that arise from the increase of distrust.
• Internet, memes, and the politics of entertainment in electoral processes.
• Polarization and political violence against communication professionals during election periods.
• Institutional communication from State bodies during election periods.
• Public participation in electoral debates and new mediation agents in political campaigns.
• Gender, media, and representation in contemporary electoral contexts.
• Media literacy, elections, the public sphere, and the quality of democracy.

 

Articles must be submitted by November 30, 2022, to be included in Mediapolis #17, referring to the second semester of 2023.

 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: November 30, 2022

PUBLICATION: Second semester of 2023